Updated 11-18-2012

Past Champions Limited To 6 Provisional Berths in Cup: NASCAR announced an update to the past champion’s provisional rule in the Sprint Cup Series for 2007. A past champion’s provisional may be used by an eligible driver a maximum of six times over the course of the season. In addition, a team with a past champion eligible driver may only use this provisional a maximum of six times during a season. Previously, there was no limit on usage of the past champion’s provisional over the course of the 36-race season. The provisional gives the eligible driver the 43rd and final starting position in the race field. "As NASCAR seeks to place more emphasis on competition, we have decided the time is right to limit the number of provisional's allowed,” said NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. “We believe this revision brings the provisional policy in line with the continued growth of the sport.”(NASCAR PR)
This is only for a team/driver OUTSIDE the top-35 in owners points, drivers whose team is in the top-35 in owners points, would already be guaranteed in the field and not need the Past Champions Provisional. The provisional is not used in the event Qualifying is cancelled and not charged.(1-31-2007)

Determining Race Line-Ups - Top 35 Guarantee: At the start of the 2005 season, NASCAR instituted a new procedure for establishing the starting race field in the NASCAR SPRINT Cup Series [NSCS]. NASCAR revamped the system by simplifying the procedure with teams no longer accruing provisional's throughout the season to gain entry into the starting fields. While starting positions one through 42 in the NSCS still will be determined by qualifying speed, the new system will assure the highest-ranked 35 positions of the NSCS OWNER [not Driver] championship points that have entered the event prior to the entry deadline [usually 13 days before the day of the race] one of those starting positions in the field, providing they have made an attempt to qualify [which usually means the team at least practiced and made an effort to qualify].
The remaining seven positions [36-42] will be assigned to those drivers with the fastest qualifying speeds whose car owners are not among the top 35. The final starting position [43rd] – the champion’s provisional – can be utilized by a car owner whose driver is a current or past NASCAR SPINT Cup champion who participated as a driver during the current of previous season and was entered in the event for that owner in that car prior to the entry deadline.
If there is more than one series champion vying for the position, it will be given to the most recent series champion. If the final provisional starting position – 43rd in the NASCAR SPRINT Cup – is not filled by a current or past series champion, it will be assigned to the next eligible car owner according to qualifying results.

CHAMPION PROVISIONAL STATUS

PastChampRank

Driver

Team

Year of LastChampionship

PresentOwnersPoints Pos

ChampProvUsed

ChampProvLeft

1

Tony Stewart

14

2011

9

0

6

2

Jimmie Johnson

48

2010

3

0

6

3

Kurt Busch

78

2004

24

0

6

4

Matt Kenseth

17

2003

7

0

6

5

Jeff Gordon

24

2001

10

0

6

6

Bobby Labonte

47

2000

26

0

6

7

Terry Labonte* (A)

32

1996

34

1

5

8

Bill Elliott* (B)

97/50

1988

54/55

0

6

* part time driver

(A) scheduled to run the four restrictor plate races for the #32 team, Daytona in February and July, Talladega in May and October.

(B) attempted to Daytona 500 in Nemechek's #97 Toyota but failed to make the field, ran the #97 at Talladerga in May and ran the #50 Chevy at Daytona in July in supposedly a one-race deal with Turner Motorsports